Biocontrol of Late Blight (Phytophthora capsici) Disease and Growth Promotion of Pepper by Burkholderia cepacia MPC-7

Metagenomics approaches in unveiling the dynamics of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms (PGPM) vis-à-vis Phytophthora sp. suppression in various crop ecological systems

Phytophthora species are destructive pathogens causing yield losses in different ecological systems, such as potato, black pepper, pepper, avocado, citrus, and tobacco. The diversity of plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM) plays a crucial role in disease suppression. Knowledge of metagenomics approaches is essential for assessing the dynamics of PGPM and Phytophthora species across various ecosystems, facilitating effective management strategies for better crop protection. This review discusses the dynamic interplay between PGPM and Phytophthora sp. using metagenomics approaches that sheds light on the potential of PGPM strains tailored to specific crop ecosystems to bolster pathogen suppressiveness.

Investigating the biosynthesis and roles of the auxin phenylacetic acid during Pseudomonas syringae-Arabidopsis thaliana pathogenesis

Several plant-associated microbes synthesize the auxinic plant growth regulator phenylacetic acid (PAA) in culture; however, the role of PAA in plant-pathogen interactions is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the role of PAA during interactions between the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae strain PtoDC3000 (PtoDC3000) and the model plant host, Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous work demonstrated that indole-3-acetaldehyde dehydrogenase A (AldA) of PtoDC3000 converts indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAld) to the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Here, we further demonstrated the biochemical versatility of AldA by conducting substrate screening and steady-state kinetic analyses, and showed that AldA can use both IAAld and phenylacetaldehyde as substrates to produce IAA and PAA, respectively. Quantification of auxin in infected plant tissue showed that AldA-dependent synthesis of either IAA or PAA by PtoDC3000 does not contribute significantly to the increase in auxin levels in infected A. thaliana leaves. Using available arogenate dehydratase (adt) mutant lines of A. thaliana compromised for PAA synthesis, we observed that a reduction in PAA-Asp and PAA-Glu is correlated with elevated levels of IAA and increased susceptibility. These results provide evidence that PAA/IAA homeostasis in A. thaliana influences the outcome of plant-microbial interactions.

Characterization of Bacillus velezensis 32a metabolites and their synergistic bioactivity against crown gall disease

Crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens is considered to be the main bacterial threat of stone fruit plants in Mediterranean countries. In a previous study, Bacillus velezensis strain 32a was isolated from Tunisian rhizosphere soil and revealed high antagonistic potential against A. tumefaciens strains. In order to better characterize the antagonistic activity of this strain against this important plant pathogen, the production of secondary metabolites was analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. The results revealed the production of different compounds identified as surfactins, fengycins, iturins and bacillibactin belonging to the lipopeptide group, three polyketides (macrolactins, oxydifficidin and bacillaenes), bacilysin and its chlorinated derivative; chlorotetaine. The involvement of lipopeptides in this antagonistic activity was ruled out by performing agar and broth dilution tests with pure molecules. Thus, the construction of B. velezensis 32a mutants defective in polyketides and bacilysin biosynthesis and their antagonistic activity was performed and compared to a set of derivative mutants of a comparable strain, B. velezensis GA1. The defective difficidin mutants (△dfnA and △dfnD) were unable to inhibit the growth of A. tumefaciens, indicating the high-level contribution of difficidin in the antagonism process. While the macrolactin deficient mutant (∆mlnA) slightly decreased the activity, suggesting a synergetic effect with difficidin. Remarkably, the mutant △dhbC only deficient in bacillibactin production showed significant reduction in its capacity to inhibit the growth of Agrobacterium.Taken collectively, our results showed the strong synergetic effect of difficidin and macrolactins and the significant implication of siderophore to manage crown gall disease.

The antibacterial mechanism of phenylacetic acid isolated from Bacillus megaterium L2 against Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Background

Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-37 can infect grapes and other fruit trees and cause root cancer. Given the pollution and damage of chemical agents to the environment, the use of biological control has become an important area of focus. Bacillus megaterium L2 is a beneficial biocontrol strain isolated and identified in the laboratory, which has a good antibacterial effect on a variety of plant pathogens. The antibacterial metabolites of L2 were separated and purified to obtain a bioactive compound phenylacetic acid (PAA).

Methods

The potential antibacterial mechanism of PAA against A. tumefaciens T-37 strain was determined by relative conductivity, leakage of nucleic acids, proteins, and soluble total sugars, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Results

PAA showed good antibacterial activity against strain A. tumefaciens T-37 with IC₅₀ of 0.8038 mg/mL. Our data suggested that after treatment with PAA, the relative conductivity, nucleic acid, protein, and total soluble sugar of T-37 were increased significantly compared with the chloramphenicol treatment group and the negative treatment group. The total protein synthesis of T-37 cells was inhibited, the consumption of phosphorus decreased with the increase of incubation time, and the content of ROS was significantly higher than that in the negative treatment group. Meanwhile, the activity of two key enzymes (MDH and SDH) involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA cycle) decreased. In addition, T-37 cells were found to be damaged by scanning electron microscopy observation. Our results showed that PAA can destroy cell membrane integrity, damage cell structures, affect cell metabolism, and inhibit protein synthesis to exert an antibacterial effect.

Conclusions

We concluded that the mechanism of action of the PAA against strain T-37 might be described as PAA exerting antibacterial activity by affecting cell metabolism, inhibiting protein synthesis, and destroying cell membrane integrity and cell ultrastructure. Therefore, PAA has a promising application prospect in the prevention and treatment of root cancer disease caused by A. tumefaciens.

Biological Control of Oomycete Soilborne Diseases Caused by Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora infestans, and Phytophthora nicotianae in Solanaceous Crops

Oomycete pathogens that belong to the genus Phytophthora cause devastating diseases in solanaceous crops such as pepper, potato, and tobacco, resulting in crop production losses worldwide. Although the application of fungicides efficiently controls these diseases, it has been shown to trigger negative side effects such as environmental pollution, phytotoxicity, and fungicide resistance in plant pathogens. Therefore, biological control of Phytophthora-induced diseases was proposed as an environmentally sound alternative to conventional chemical control. In this review, progress on biological control of the soilborne oomycete plant pathogens, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora infestans, and Phytophthora nicotianae, infecting pepper, potato, and tobacco is described. Bacterial (e.g., Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Chryseobacterium, Paenibacillus, Pseudomonas, and Streptomyces) and fungal (e.g., Trichoderma and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) agents, and yeasts (e.g., Aureobasidium, Curvibasidium, and Metschnikowia) have been reported as successful biocontrol agents of Phytophthora pathogens. These microorganisms antagonize Phytophthora spp. via antimicrobial compounds with inhibitory activities against mycelial growth, sporulation, and zoospore germination. They also trigger plant immunity-inducing systemic resistance via several pathways, resulting in enhanced defense responses in their hosts. Along with plant protection, some of the microorganisms promote plant growth, thereby enhancing their beneficial relations with host plants. Although the beneficial effects of the biocontrol microorganisms are acceptable, single applications of antagonistic microorganisms tend to lack consistent efficacy compared with chemical analogues. Therefore, strategies to improve the biocontrol performance of these prominent antagonists are also discussed in this review.

Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Emerging as an Effective Bioinoculant to Improve the Growth, Production, and Stress Tolerance of Vegetable Crops

Vegetable cultivation is a promising economic activity, and vegetable consumption is important for human health due to the high nutritional content of vegetables. Vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and several phytochemical compounds. However, the production of vegetables is insufficient to meet the demand of the ever-increasing population. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) facilitate the growth and production of vegetable crops by acquiring nutrients, producing phytohormones, and protecting them from various detrimental effects. In this review, we highlight well-developed and cutting-edge findings focusing on the role of a PGPR-based bioinoculant formulation in enhancing vegetable crop production. We also discuss the role of PGPR in promoting vegetable crop growth and resisting the adverse effects arising from various abiotic (drought, salinity, heat, heavy metals) and biotic (fungi, bacteria, nematodes, and insect pests) stresses.

A comprehensive synthesis unveils the mysteries of phosphate-solubilizing microbes

Phosphate-solubilizing microbes (PSMs) drive the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus (P) and hold promise for sustainable agriculture. However, their global distribution, overall diversity and application potential remain unknown. Here, we present the first synthesis of their biogeography, diversity and utility, employing data from 399 papers published between 1981 and 2017, the results of a nationwide field survey in China consisting of 367 soil samples, and a genetic analysis of 12986 genome-sequenced prokaryotic strains. We show that at continental to global scales, the population density of PSMs in environmental samples is correlated with total P rather than pH. Remarkably, positive relationships exist between the population density of soil PSMs and available P, nitrate-nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon in soil, reflecting functional couplings between PSMs and microbes driving biogeochemical cycles of nitrogen and carbon. More than 2704 strains affiliated with at least nine archaeal, 88 fungal and 336 bacterial species were reported as PSMs. Only 2.59% of these strains have been tested for their efficiencies in improving crop growth or yield under field conditions, providing evidence that PSMs are more likely to exert positive effects on wheat growing in alkaline P-deficient soils. Our systematic genetic analysis reveals five promising PSM genera deserving much more attention.

Climate Change and Salinity Effects on Crops and Chemical Communication Between Plants and Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms Under Stress

During the last two decades the world has experienced an abrupt change in climate. Both natural and artificial factors are climate change drivers, although the effect of natural factors are lesser than the anthropogenic drivers. These factors have changed the pattern of precipitation resulting in a rise in sea levels, changes in evapotranspiration, occurrence of flood overwintering of pathogens, increased resistance of pests and parasites, and reduced productivity of plants. Although excess CO2 promotes growth of C3 plants, high temperatures reduce the yield of important agricultural crops due to high evapotranspiration. These two factors have an impact on soil salinization and agriculture production, leading to the issue of water and food security. Farmers have adopted different strategies to cope with agriculture production in saline and saline sodic soil. Recently the inoculation of halotolerant plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in saline fields is an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to overcome salinity and promote crop growth and yield in saline and saline sodic soil. These halotolerant bacteria synthesize certain metabolites which help crops in adopting a saline condition and promote their growth without any negative effects. There is a complex interkingdom signaling between host and microbes for mutual interaction, which is also influenced by environmental factors. For mutual survival, nature induces a strong positive relationship between host and microbes in the rhizosphere. Commercialization of such PGPR in the form of biofertilizers, biostimulants, and biopower are needed to build climate resilience in agriculture. The production of phytohormones, particularly auxins, have been demonstrated by PGPR, even the pathogenic bacteria and fungi which also modulate the endogenous level of auxins in plants, subsequently enhancing plant resistance to various stresses. The present review focuses on plant-microbe communication and elaborates on their role in plant tolerance under changing climatic conditions.

Isolation and Identification of Antibacterial Bioactive Compounds From Bacillus megaterium L2

Bacterial metabolites exhibit a variety of biologically active compounds including antibacterial and antifungal activities. It is well known that Bacillus is considered to be a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites. Most plant pathogens have an incredible ability to mutate and acquire resistance, causing major economic losses in the agricultural field. Therefore, it is necessary to use the natural antibacterial compounds in microbes to control plant pathogens. This study was conducted to investigate the bio-active compounds of Bacillus megaterium L2. According to the activity guidance of Agrobacterium tumefaciens T-37, Erwinia carotovora EC-1 and Ralstonia solanacearum RS-2, five monomeric compounds, including erucamide (1), behenic acid (2), palmitic acid (3), phenylacetic acid (4), and β-sitosterol (5), were fractionated and purified from the crude ethyl acetate extract of B. megaterium. To our knowledge, all compounds were isolated from the bacterium for the first time. To understand the antimicrobial activity of these compounds, and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (range: 0.98∼500 μg/mL) were determined by the broth microdilution method. For the three tested pathogens, palmitic acid exhibited almost no antibacterial activity (>500 μg/mL), while erucamide had moderate antibacterial activity (MIC = 500 μg/mL). Behenic acid showed MICs of 250 μg/mL against T-37 and RS-2 strains with an antibacterial activity. β-sitosterol showed significant antimicrobial activity against RS-2. β-sitosterol showed remarkable antimicrobial activity against RS-2 with an MIC of 15.6 μg/mL. In addition, with the antimicrobial activity, against T-37 (62.5 μg/mL) and against EC-1 (125 μg/mL) and RS-2 (15.6 μg/mL) strains notably, phenylacetic acid may be interesting for the prevention and control of phytopathogenic bacteria. Our findings suggest that isolated compounds such as behenic acid, β-sitosterol, and phenylacetic acid may be promising candidates for natural antimicrobial agents.

Contribution of macrolactin in Bacillus velezensis CLA178 to the antagonistic activities against Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58

Beneficial rhizobacteria can inhibit soilborne pathogens by secreting an array of polyketides, lipopeptides and dipeptides, but the effect of polyketides on crown gall disease caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 is unclear. In this study, the antagonistic compounds of the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus velezensis CLA178 was sorted with different organic phases, purified by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and detected by a liquid chromatography ionization-mass spectrometry system. Macrolactins were found to be the compounds with antagonistic activity against A. tumefaciens C58. When the macrolactin synthesis pathway was disrupted, the mutant △mlnA only showed slight antagonistic activity against A. tumefaciens C58. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the inhibition of C58 cell division by cell-free culture from the mutant △mlnA was weaker than that by cell-free culture from CLA178. The mutant deficient in production of macrolactin showed a weaker transcription of genes involved in attachment of C58 to plant and lower biocontrol of crown gall disease in rose than the wild-type strain CLA178. The effect of macrolactins on pathogen C58 has been also confirmed by the purified macrolactins. These results reveal that macrolactins contribute to the biocontrol activity of C58 by inhibiting cell division and downregulating the transcription of chvB and chvE.

Phenylacetic Acid and Methylphenyl Acetate From the Biocontrol Bacterium Bacillus mycoides BM02 Suppress Spore Germination in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

Bacillus mycoides strain BM02 originally isolated from the tomato rhizosphere was found to have beneficial functions in tomato by promoting plant growth and reducing the severity of Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol). Cytological experiments demonstrated B. mycoides BM02 reduced Fol invasion by reducing spore attachment and increasing hyphal deformation in hydroponics-grown tomato root tissues. Two volatile antifungal compounds, phenylacetic acid (PAA) and methylphenyl acetate (MPA), were identified from the culture filtrates of B. mycoides BM02 by GC-MS analysis. Chemically synthesized PAA, and to a lower extent MPA, suppressed spore germination but have no effects on the hyphal growth of Fol. Our results indicated that the biocontrol agent B. mycoides BM02 produced an array of bioactive compounds including PAA and MPA to suppress plant diseases caused by Fol and other pathogenic microorganisms.

Mobilization of recalcitrant phosphorous and enhancement of pepper P uptake and yield by a new biocontrol and bioremediation bacterium Burkholderia cepacia CQ18

AIMS

Phosphorus (P) is a finite resource and inoculation of phosphorus-mobilizing bacteria (PMB) is a promising approach for the enhancement of soil P availability and plant P uptake. This drives scientists to search for the microbes effective in mobilizing legacy P in soils.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The current incubation and greenhouse pot experiments were conducted to investigate P mobilization and pepper P uptake as affected by a new biocontrol and bioremediation bacterium Burkholderia cepacia CQ18. This bacterium converted Ca₃ (PO₄ )₂ , FePO₄ , AlPO₄ , and lecithin into soluble inorganic P in the culture solutions and increased available P (including water-soluble P and Olsen P) in the soil. There were positive correlations between the soluble inorganic phosphorus and the exudates (protons, organic acids (oxalate and gluconate), siderophores and phosphatases) in culture solutions. Pepper plant biomass, fruit yield and P uptake changed in the sequence: chemical fertilizers plus bacterial inoculant >only chemical fertilizers >only bacterial inoculant >blank control.

CONCLUSIONS

Taking into account the wide spectrums of P mobilization and simultaneous production of acid, neutral and alkaline phosphatases at a given pH, B.cepacia CQ18 may be a potential PMB used in soils with wide pH ranges. The mechanisms employed by this bacterium in the solubilization of recalcitrant inorganic P could be the efflux of protons, organic acids (oxalate and gluconate) and siderophores. Phosphatases could be of utmost importance in the mineralization of the organic P. The production of siderophores and phosphatases by of B.cepacia CQ18 could thus be crucial for not only the antagonism against plant pathogens but also the mobilization of soil sparingly available P.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Burkholderia cepacia CQ18 could be potentially developed into a biofertilizer.

Endophytic Burkholderia sp. SSG as a potential biofertilizer promoting boxwood growth

Background

Burkholderia sp. SSG is a bacterial endophyte isolated from boxwood leaves showing a resistant response to infection by the boxwood blight pathogen Calonectria pseudonaviculata. SSG acted as a protective and curative biocontrol agent for boxwood blight and as a bio-sanitizer of disease inoculum in the field. Many gene clusters involved in antibiotic production and plant growth promotion (PGP) were found in the genome, giving this endophyte great application potential as a treatment for plant protection. However, the PGP features have not been documented. This study investigated the plant growth promotion activity of SSG in boxwood.

Methods

To determine whether SSG is a plant growth promoting bacterium, four PGP traits, auxin and siderophore production, nitrogen fixation and phosphate solubilization, were examined in the laboratory with colorimetric or agar plate assays. The plant growth promoting activity of SSG was tested on three boxwood varieties characterized by slow, intermediate and fast growth rates, namely Justin Brouwers, Buddy and Winter Gem, respectively. These plants were drenched with an SSG cell suspension or water and washed plant weight was compared before and after treatment to determine growth changes after 10 months.

Results

The SSG culture was sustainable on nitrogen free media, suggesting that SSG may fix atmospheric nitrogen. It was also a strong phosphate solubilizer and a potent siderophore and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) producer. Significant growth promotion was observed on boxwood cultivars Justin Brouwers, Buddy and Winter Gem 10 months after plant roots were drenched with SSG cells. The growth rate of treated plants was 76.1, 58.3, and 37.3% higher than that of the control, respectively. The degree of growth promotion was significantly different among plant varieties, notably more pronounced with the slow and intermediate growers. This study demonstrates that the SSG bacterium has multiple PGP traits and is a prospective plant biofertilizer.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria as potential bio-inoculants and biocontrol agents to promote black pepper plant cultivation

Black pepper production in Malaysia was restricted by various diseases. Hazardous chemical products appear to be the best solution to control diseases in black pepper cultivation. However, persistence of chemical residues in peppercorns could affect the quality of exports and consumptions. Application of fertilizers is crucial to sustain pepper growth and high yield. But, continuous use of chemical fertilizers could affect the soil ecosystem and eventually restrict nutrient uptake by pepper roots. Therefore, we propose biological approaches as an alternative solution instead of chemical products to sustain pepper cultivation in Malaysia. In this study, we have isolated a total of seven indigenous rhizobacteria antagonistic to soil-borne Fusarium solani, the causal fungus of slow decline, the most serious debilitating disease of black pepper in Malaysia. The isolated bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus siamensis, Brevibacillus gelatini, Pseudomonas geniculata, Pseudomonas beteli, Burkholderia ubonensis and Burkholderia territorii. These bacteria were effective in production of antifungal siderophore with the amount of 53.4 %-73.5 % per 0.5 mL of cell-free supernatants. The bacteria also produced appreciable amount of chitinase with chitinolytic index was ranged from 1.19 to 1.76. The bacteria have shown phosphate solubilizing index within 1.61 to 2.01. They were also efficient in ACC deaminase (0.52 mM-0.62 mM) and ammonia (60.3 mM-75.3 mM) production. The isolated antagonists were efficacious in stimulation of black pepper plant growth and root development through IAA (10.5 μg/mL-42.6 μg/mL) secretion. In conclusion, the isolated rhizobacteria are potent to be developed not only as biocontrol agents to minimize the utilization of hazardous chemicals in black pepper disease management, but also developed as bio-fertilizers to improve black pepper plant growth due to their capabilities in plant growth-promotion.

Rhizobial-metabolite based biocontrol of fusarium wilt in pigeon pea

The application of rhizobial cells for improving pigeon pea fitness has been practiced for ages. As cell-based approaches have limitations, the focus is on the usage of cell-free formulations. In the present study exopolysaccharide (EPS) producing, plant health promoting Bradyrhizobium sp. IC-4059 was monitored for its biocontrol potential against Fusarium udum. Strain IC-4059, its EPS, and supernatant antagonized F.udum by 52.6%, 20.5%, and 48.1%, respectively in comparison to control. Diverse formulations prepared using EPS, supernatant, and cells of strain IC-4059 were: EPS based, supernatant based, IC-4059 liquid culture (rhizobia based), dual combination (IC-4059 cells + supernatant; IC-4059 cells + EPS; EPS + supernatant), and triple combination (IC-4059 cells + supernatant + EPS). The potency of these bioformulations was observed under in planta tubes followed by in vivo pot study, both in F.udum infested and non-infested sets taking pigeon pea cultivar UPAS-120 as a model crop. The study highlighted that seeds receiving triple combination exhibited significantly higher plant growth attributes, nodule enhancing, and disease suppressing activity in comparison to individual application of Bradyrhizobium. Antifungal compounds were analyzed by a metabolomic approach using UPLC-MS. Thus, the study disseminates the tripartite role of triple formulation as a plant growth stimulator, nodule enhancer, and disease suppressor, both under in vitro and in vivo conditions in the presence of phytopathogen F. udum.

Indole-3-Acetic Acid in Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007: Enzymatic Identification of the Indole-3-Acetamide Synthesis Pathway

Burkholderia pyrrocinia JK-SH007 is a plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB), that can promote the growth of poplar and other trees, and, production of the plant hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is one of the reasons for this effect. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of the external environment on the synthesis of IAA by B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007 and to perform a functional analysis of its IAA synthesis pathway. In this study, IAA and its synthetic intermediates indole-3-acetamide (IAM), indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPyA), tryptamine (TAM), and indole-3-acetonitrile (IAN) were detected in B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007 fermentation broth by high-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS), and these indolic compounds were also found in the cell-free extraction of B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007, but the genomic analysis of B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007 indicated that IAA biosynthesis was mainly through the IAM and TAM pathways. The effects of L-tryptophan (L-Trp), temperature and pH on the synthesis of IAA were investigated, and the results showed that L-Trp exerted a significant effect on IAA synthesis and that 37°C and pH 7 were the optimal conditions IAA production by B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007. In addition, the protein expression of tryptophan 2-monooxygenase and indoleacetamide hydrolase, which are the key enzymes of the indole acetamide-mediated IAA synthesis pathway, was analyzed, and their activity was verified by substrate feeding experiments. The results revealed the existence of an IAA synthesis pathway mediated by IAM and indicated that this pathway plays a role in B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007. This study lays the foundation for further exploration of the specific pathway and mechanism of IAA synthesis in B. pyrrocinia JK-SH007.

Pseudomonas and Burkholderia inhibit growth and asexual development of Phytophthora capsici

The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize antagonistic rhizobacteria from chili against a notorious phytopathogen Phytophthora capsici. Among the 48 bacteria isolated, BTLbbc-02, BTLbbc-03, and BTLbbc-05 were selected based on their inhibitory activity against P. capsici. They were tentatively identified as Burkholderia metallica BTLbbc-02, Burkholderia cepacia BTLbbc-03, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa BTLbbc-05, respectively, based on their 16S rRNA gene sequencing. All inhibited the growth of P. capsici at varying levels by inducing characteristic morphological alterations of P. capsici hyphae. The cell-free culture supernatant of all three isolates impaired motility (up to 100%) and caused lysis (up to 50%) of the halted zoospores. Bioassays revealed that Pseudomonas sp. had higher antagonism and zoospore motility-inhibitory effects against P. capsici compared with two other isolates, Burkholderia spp. and B. metallica, which caused vacuolation in mycelium. All three bacteria suppressed sporangium formation and zoosporogenesis of P. capsici, and improved the seed germination and growth of cucumber. Our findings suggest that epiphytic bacteria, B. metallica, B. cepacia, and P. aeruginosa, could be used as potential biocontrol agents against P. capsici. A further study is required to ensure conformity with the existing regulations for soil, plant, and human health.

Identification for the First Time of Cyclo(d-Pro-l-Leu) Produced by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y1 as a Nematocide for Control of Meloidogyne incognita

The aim of the current study was to describe the role and mechanism of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y1 against the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Initially, the exposure of the bacterial culture supernatant and crude extract of Y1 to M. incognita significantly inhibited the hatching of eggs and caused the mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2), with these inhibitory effects depending on the length of incubation time and concentration of the treatment. The dipeptide cyclo(d-Pro-l-Leu) was identified in B. amyloliquefaciens culture for the first time using chromatographic techniques and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR ¹H, 13C, H-H COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and recognized to have nematocidal activity. Various concentrations of cyclo(d-Pro-l-Leu) were investigated for their effect on the hatching of eggs and J2 mortality. Moreover, the in vivo nematocidal activity of the Y1 strain was investigated by conducting pot experiments in which tomato plants were inoculated with M. incognita. Each and every pot was amended 50 mL of fertilizer media (F), or Y1 culture, or nematicide (N) (only once), or fertilizer media with N (FN) at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks after transplantation. The results of the pot experiments demonstrated the antagonistic effect of B. amyloliquefaciens Y1 against M. incognita as it significantly decreases the count of eggs and galls per root of the tomato plant as well as the population of J2 in the soil. Besides, the investigation into the growth parameters, such as the length of shoot, shoot fresh and dry weights of the tomato plants, showed that they were significantly higher in the Y1 strain Y1-treated plants compared to F-, FN- and N-treated plants. Therefore, the biocontrol repertoire of this bacterium opens a new insight into the applications in crop pest control.

Antibacterial Compounds-Macrolactin Alters the Soil Bacterial Community and Abundance of the Gene Encoding PKS

Macrolactin produced by many soil microbes has been shown to be an efficient antibacterial agent against many bacterial pathogens. However, studies examining the effect of macrolactin on both the soil bacterial community and the intrinsic bacterial species that harbor genes responsible for the production of this antibiotic have not been conducted so far. In this study, a mixture of macrolactin was isolated from the liquid culture of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens NJN-6, and applied to the soil once a week for four weeks. 16S rRNA Illumina MiSeq sequencing showed that continuous application of macrolactin reduced the α-diversity of the soil bacterial community and thereby changed the relative abundance of microbes at both the phylum and genus level. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes was significantly increased along with a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Acidobacteria. However, the application of macrolactins had an insignificant effect on the total numbers of bacteria. Further, the native gene responsible for the production of macrolactin, the gene encoding polyketide synthase was reduced in copy number after the application of macrolactin. The results of this study suggested that a bactericide from a microbial source could decrease the diversity of the soil bacterial community and change the bacterial community structure. Moreover, the populations of the intrinsic bacterial species which harbor genes responsible for macrolactin production were inhibited when the external source antibiotic was applied.

Identification of signatory secondary metabolites during mycoparasitism of Rhizoctonia solani by Stachybotrys elegans

Stachybotrys elegans is able to parasitize the fungal plant pathogen Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 following a complex and intimate interaction, which, among others, includes the production of cell wall-degrading enzymes, intracellular colonization, and expression of pathogenic process encoding genes. However, information on the metabolome level is non-existent during mycoparasitism. Here, we performed a direct-infusion mass spectrometry (DIMS) metabolomics analysis using an LTQ Orbitrap analyzer in order to detect changes in the profiles of induced secondary metabolites of both partners during this mycoparasitic interaction 4 and 5 days following its establishment. The diketopiperazine(s) (DKPs) cyclo(S-Pro-S-Leu)/cyclo(S-Pro-S-Ile), ethyl 2-phenylacetate, and 3-nitro-4-hydroxybenzoic acid were detected as the primary response of Rhizoctonia 4 days following dual-culturing with Stachybotrys, whereas only the latter metabolite was up-regulated 1 day later. On the other hand, trichothecenes and atranones were mycoparasite-derived metabolites identified during mycoparasitism 4 and 5 days following dual-culturing. All the above secondary metabolites are known to exhibit bioactivity, including fungitoxicity, and represent key elements that determine the outcome of the interaction being studied. Results could be further exploited in programs for the evaluation of the bioactivity of these metabolites per se or their chemical analogs, and/or genetic engineering programs to obtain more efficient mycoparasite strains with improved efficacy and toxicological profiles.